Feed-controlling mechanism for magazines and the like.



N0..s90,0s9. PATENTED JUNE 9,1903

0. OWENS. FEED GONTROLLINGMEGHANISM FOR MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE.

APP LIOATION FILED MAB-[14, 1906. RENEWED OUT. 30, 1907.

1:45 nmmus s'rxn's cm, WASHINGTON, 0.

CHARLES OWENS, OF OHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

FEED-CONTROLLING- MECHANISM FOR MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed. March 14, 1906, Serial No. 306,063.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908.

Renewed October 30, 1907. Serial No. 399,854.

'To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, CHARLES OwnNs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chattanooga, Tennessee, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Feed- Controlling Mechanism for Magazines and the Like,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for controlling and regulating thefeeding of magazines, newspapers, plates or like articles to printingmechanism or the like wherein it is desired to feed the articles forwardone at a time.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangementof parts herein described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a side view of a machineembodying my invention. parts shown in Fig. 1, some of the parts howeverbeing omitted. Fig. 3 is a detail view of an adjustable stop.

The articles to be fed forward are indicated at 1 in a hopper or frame 2resting with their rear ends upon an adjustable bar 3 and the forwardend of the pile of articles rests upon the feed drums l which haveperipheral supporting surfaces 5 for the said articles, and flanges 6 atthe outer side of the said peripheral supporting surfaces. These feeddrums are carried by a shaft 7 which is ro tated in any suitable mannerand they carry fingers 8 adapted to enter between the leaves of themagazine, and thus feed the same for ward in a manner similar to thatshown in an application for Letters Patent of the United States filed byAlexander Lyle, Jan. 30, 1905, #243385.

Above the feed drums and over the peripheral supporting surfacesthereof, controlling ratchets 9 are arranged, one for each of the drums.These ratchet wheels are arranged with a slight space between theirlower peripheries and the peripheral supporting surfaces of the drums,and between these ratchets and drums the magazines or other articles arefed. The magazines in the pile rest with their forward edges against theteeth of the ratchet, as shown in Fig. 1. Associated with the ratchetwheels are releasers 10 consisting of plates reaching down on each sideof each of the ratchets from sleeves 11, which are adjustably connectedby a set screw and slot connection at 12 with Fig. 2 is a rear elevationof the frame workof the machine. The central portions of these releasingplates are journaled upon the shaft 13 which carries the ratchets andthe lower edges of the releaser plates are curved concentric with theratchet wheels and these curved edges extend in the horizontal plane orslightly beyond the horizontal plane of the teeth. The ratchet wheelsare driven step by step by pawls 14 attached to the arms 15, journaledon the shaft 13, the said pawl arms being-driven by the link 16 from thecrank disk 17 on the drum shaft. The connection between the link 16 andcrank disk 17 is adjustable as shown at 18, the said crank disk having aslot 19 extending across it in which the said connection may be set.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The magazines having beenplaced in the hopper 2 and the feed drums 5 having been set in rotation,the feed blades of the said drums enter between the leaves of thelowermost magazine and draw it from beneath the pile. The forward edgesof the magazines are brought against the teeth of the ratchet wheels andthus all of the magazines in the hopper, or at least those at the lowerportion of the pile are brought into positive engage ment with the teethof the ratchet wheel except those which are below the point x of thereleaser plates, these latter magazines being loose or not engaged bythe said ratchet teeth and being free to be fed forward by the fingersof the feed drums between the lower edges of the releaser plates and theperipheral supporting surfaces of the drums.

It will be seen that the number of magazines which are loose ordisengaged from the ratchet teeth depends upon the position of thereleaser plates in their relation to the bite between themselves and theperipheral supporting surfaces of the feed drums, and as above statedthe releasers are adjustable so that more or less of the lowermostmagazines will be left free to be fed forward. As the feed drums revolvethey operate the ratchets through the connections described in thedirectionof the arrow, the throw of the ratchet or its step by stepmovement being determined by the position of the fulcrum or connection18 on the disk 17. The parts may be so adjusted that the two or threelowermost magazines will lie loosely on the peripheral supportingsurfaces of the drums and when engaged by the feed blades or fingerswill pass easily from beneath the pile. The ratchet of the ratchet pastthe point at which the ratchet and drum surface most nearly approacheach other.

An adjustable stop is provided at 18 on the inner side of each releaserand this can be "so adjusted as to positively separate the magazineslying at the bite of the ratchet and drum and prevent more than one fromfeeding. The arrangement can be used with any suitable form of feed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a feed drum arranged to support the forward portionof. the magazines, means carried by the feed drum for engaging themagazines, controlling means engaging the pile of magazines and arrangedopposite the feed drum with a space between for the passage of themagazines, said controlling means consisting of a wheel having teeth orprojections thereon and adjustable releaser means to cover more or lessof said teeth or projections and shield them from the pile of magazines,substantially as described.

2. In combination, a feed drum having means to engage the magazines, acontrolling ratchet arranged opposite the feed drum,

means for rotating the ratchet step by step, and releaser means toshield more or less of the ratchet teeth in respect to the pile ofmagazines, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the feed drum, carrymg means to engage the magazlne,a ratchet wheel arranged opposite the drum with a space between for thepassage of the magazines, said ratchet wheel having its teeth "adaptedto obstruct the forward movement of the magazines, means engaging thesaid ratchet. teeth for operating the ratchet, and

releaser means to cover more or less of the ratchet teeth in respect tothe pile of magazines, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the feed drum, carrying means to engage the magazine,a ratchet wheel arranged opposite the drum with a space between for thepassage of the magazines, said ratchet wheel having its teeth adapted toobstruct the forward movement of the magazines, means engaging the saidratchet teeth for operating the ratchet, and releaser means to covermore or less of the ratchet teeth in respect to the pile of magazines,said releaser means being adjustable about the aXis of the ratchet,substantially as described.

5. In combination, a feed drum, an adjust- I able support for the rearportion of the pile of magazines, a ratchet wheel arranged oppo site thefeed drum and between which and to shield more or less of the ratchetteeth in respect to the pile of magazines, substantially J as described.

6. In combination with the feed drum, a rotary device opposite theperipheral surface of the feed drum with its periphery adjacent thereto.moving in the same direction therewith for controlling the feed of themagazines and a releaser associated. with said rotary device and anadjustable stop carried thereby, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the feed drum, a toothed Wheel opposite theperipheral surface of the drum, a releaser to shield more or less of theteeth of said wheel from the sheets to be fed, and means for adjustingthe size of the space between said releaser and the surface of the feeddrum, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature Witnesses:

O. E. PowEL, W. A. BURNS.

